Hair dressing device



Oct. 1I, 1932. J. N. LA GASSE HAIR DRESSING DEVICE Filed June 18, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l vwlvlIIAlAAAnlIIIIIIIItIOOIvvliiJlKm A f n Oct. 11, 1932. J, N. LA GASSE HAIR DRESSING DEVICE `3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 18, 1931 Oct. 11,' 1932. .1. N, LA GASSE HAIR DRESSING DEVICE s she'ts-sneet s Filed June 18, 1931 Jas/apk Af. Z/a

Patented ct. 11, 1,932`

naires. sim'rss PAT i5? JOSEPH N. LGAss', or UPPER DARBY, PENNSYLVANIA HAIR DRESSING DEVICE Application filed June 18, 1931. Serial No. 545,169.-

My invention relates to the so-called meth- 'od of permanent waving of the hair upon a persons head and pertains especially to the clamping and winding of the hair upon forms preparatory to treating with heat 1n order to set the hair in a wave or curl.

One purpose of my invention is to provide a quick and positive fastening means whereby predetermined portions of the hair can be made fast to a form or rod.

A further purpose is to provide a form or rod having a fastening device therein and which permits quick attachment or detachment of the hair very close to the scalp with 1E a minimum of discomforture to theperson about to be treated.

A further purpose is to provide mechanism which will permit the operator to apply it at any point outward of the scalp, and which will prevent the breaking or cutting of the hair.

A further purpose is to provide a winding device which is adapted to operate upon the form or rod, and to fasten upon the rod at any position throughout its length of travel.

A further purpose is to provide a winding device which may be used by either righthanded or left-handed operators.

A further purpose is to provide a winding device which will hold the hair tight upon the rod at any point throughout its path of travel.

A further purpose is to provide a Winder which combs and stra-ightens'the hair as it winds it. Y

A further purpose is to provide a winding device which is equally eicient in its operation upon short, medium or long hair and can be released at any point upon the rod and still hold all of the individual hairs securely.

Further purposes will appear in the speciication and in the claims.

I have elected to show one only of the many forms in which my invention could be made, selecting however a form that is 'practical and efficient in operation and which well illustrates the principles involved.

Figure l is a plan view of a form or rod for curling hair, actual size, and embodying several features of my invention. i i

Figure 2 is a central horizontal section thereof, on a greatly enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a central horizontalV section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure l and corresponding in scale to Figure 2.

Figure Il is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the rod attached to a lock of hair, a winding attachment in place and several turns of hair having been made upon the rod.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4; showing the completion of the wrapping or curling of the hair upon the rod.

Figure 6 is a perspective view ofthe winding attachment.

Figure 7 is a similar View taken from a different angle.

Figure 8 is an enlarged-.detail plan of the tip end of the rod.

Figure 9 isy an end elevation thereof.

Figure l0 is a view of the opposite end of the rod to that shown in Figure 9.

Figure l1 is a transverse section taken on the line'll-ll of Figure 2.

Figure 12 is a. similar section taken on the line 12-12 of Figure 3.l

Figure 13 is a view of a head with a plurality of rods and winders attached.

Figure 14 is an enlarged end elevationof a Winder.

Figure 15 is a similar view of the opposite end to that shown in Figure 14.

Like numerals refer to like part inall figures.

.Describing in illustration and not in limitation and referring to the drawings In thisv art it is the custom iirst to fasten selected portions of the hair to a forming or curling rod, to wrap the Vhair about the rod and to retain the hair in its wrapped position preparatory to its being subjected to a machine for heat treating.

In the past it has been customary to use rods having enlarged end fastening devices for the initial attachment of the hair to the rod, or to tie the hair to the rod with strings; When it is realized that as many as twentyfour to'forty-eight rods may be used simultaneously, it will be appreciated that weight is an important factor, and the eXtra weight of the enlarged end fastening devices has always been objectionable.

A further objection has been the position which the fasteners necessarily must occupy next to the head. The area of the face of these fasteners is considerable and with the rods extending outward from the centers of the fasteners an lexcessive pressure is set up by the lower edge of each fastener against the head.

In order to overcome the pressure of the fasteners and also their weight, they next step in the art was to provide the ends of the rods with slots into which strings were inserted, and the strings were then carried around selected portions of hair and tied by the hands of the operator.

Tied vfastenings are objectionable because of the length of time consumed in tying, the discomfort caused the patron (both during tying and untying) the breaking of the hair at the point where tied, and the fact that the head is covered with a multiplicity of dangling strings during the heating operation which may come in contact with the heaters, scorch and probably ignite, causing serious damage.

AIt has been my aim in the present invention to overcome all of these objections and at the same time provide a device which will be more efficient in the production and retention of a much better wrap or curl prior to the application of the heat-treating device.

The form or rod is indicated at'20, and carries at one end a specially shaped tip 2l and at its opposite end a separate handle portion 22 knurled upon its outer exposed surface and rotatable upon the rod.

A double strand of flexible stranded wire 23 passes through the center of the rod 20, emerging in a loop 24 at the tip end 2l of the rod, and ends in a ball-shaped terminal 25.

A lockingdevice 26 which operates upon the wire 23 is carried in the knurled handle portion 22, and consists of a hollow body 27, and a hollow plunger element 28 surrounding the flexible stranded wires 23. The locking device is continuously pressed to closure by the action of a spring 29.

The inner end of the hollow plunger 28 is 3 tapered as at 30, corresponding to a somewhat similar taper 3l formed at the inner end of the hollow body 27. Carried in open- Vings in the tapered portion 30 of the plunger 28 are a pair of lballs 32 which bear against the taper 3l at one point, and upon the two strands of the fl xible wire 23 at another, and

:they are held in continuous Contact therewith by the action of the spring 29. This construction permits the ball element 25 to be moved away from the body 20 (thereby shortening the loop 24) and at the same time prevents movement of the wire in the reverse direction unless the locking device 27 be released.

To release the locking action of the balls 32, the hollow plunger 28 is pulled back against the action of spring 29, thereby drawing the balls 32 from contact with the taper surface 3l of the body of the locking device pended claims within reasonablescope of the showing here made. i

Referring now to Figures 2, 3, 8 and 9, it will be observed the tip 2l is formed in such manner as to hold a bunch of hair within its contours and to permit the loop 24 to be drawn in close upon the bunched hair with a minimum of tendency to cut or break the hair.

The extreme free end 'of the tip is concaved on its upper face as at 34, and a further concavity 35 is located toward the rear of the tip. Midway between these two concavities are openings 36 for the reception of the wires 23, and these wires travel over a level portion 37, between the two concaved portions 34 and 35 during their entrance and egress to and from the openings 36. The openings 36 start near the inner end of the tip adjacent one another and gradually diverge from one another toward their outer ends, forming in effect a V when viewed in plan and as illus trated in Figures 2 and 8. The object of these V-shaped openings is to start the travel of the wires 23 away from each other to facilitate the opening of the loop 24 as the wires 23 are moved forward.

The body portion 20 is tubular and contains a second tube member 38 threaded at one end within an opening at the inner end of the tip portion 2l, and fastened at its opposite end to the knurled handle portion 22. v rotary movement upon the handle portion 22 will be transferred to the tube 38, and in turn to the tip portion 2l, causing the tip to turn with the handle 22. The tube 38 also houses Any the wires 23 during their passage through while the opposite end is free. Thespring fits snugly between the extended portion and the inside walls of the hollow body 20. As shown in the `drawings (Figures 2, 3 and 11) if the knurled handle 22 is turned in a clockwise direction, the convolutions of the spring will tighten 4upon the tube 88, and slip within the body 20, permitting the handle 22 and therewith the tip end 21 to turn while l, the body 20 is held stationary. ff the handle 22 be rotated in a counterclockwise direction,

the spring will expand, its free end 41 (Figure 1i) contacting with the inner face of the body portion 20, and turning the body with the handle 22 and tip21.

It will be evident that the rod could be made to operate in either direction by reversing the direction of winding of the spring 39 is so desired.

rIhe entire assembly of the component parts of the form just described will not weigh more than the rods or mandrels used prior to my invention, and the ease and speed with which they can be attached to and detached from the hair will cause the patron a minimum of inconvenience.

The winding attachment 45, best seen in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 14 and 15, is made of flat spring metal, bent to the shape illustrated, and comprises two separate areas 46 and 47, 46 for engaging the rod pro-per and 47 for engaging the hair and pressing it to the rod.

The area 46 comprises a flat strip portion spirally wound and having a spring finger 48 at one end and a spring finger 49 at the opposite end of the area.- The finger 48 is designed to receive the longitudinal pressure of a bunch of hair as it is wound upon the rod, while the finger 49 exerts pressure upon the rod 20. The outer face of this area is knurled to prevent the slipping of the fingers when the Winder is held by the operator.

The area 47 comprises a hook finger 50 eX- tending from the body portion in one direction, and a series of smaller fingers 51 extending from the body portion in the opposite direction. At the base of the hook finger 50 or at theY point where it leaves the body portion, and to one side thereof, I provide an o enlarged opening 52, for the reception and retention of a lock of hair. (See Figures 4-6 and 7.) Fingers 51 are in effect the teeth of a comb, and as they spiral during winding, lthey fold under and pack the minute short ends of hair making a perfectly tight wind free from small protruding hairs.

The effect of the fingers 51 is heightened and changed by the fact that each individual comb tooth separately resiliently presses and strokes as the winding proceeds. As a result of this, the fingers not only independently adapt themselves to the variant thicknesses of the coil under the different fingers but they press down beneath the surface Where the hair on the surface of the coil is in a combing effect which nevertheless rides over tangles. This gives a considerable part of the beneficial effect of normal combining without the injury which would result from tearing out the tangles ify the comb were positive in its action instead of resilient and of a stroking character. Though there would be some advantage in this with comparatively wide terminals to the spring fingers or teeth, the combing advantage is due almost wholly to the fact that the ends of the fingers are narrow and will therefore pass between the individual hairs at the surface and dip down beneath the surface to give thestraightening effect sought and not merely a rubbing upon the surface of the coil.

A definite cooperation exists between this combing feature and the mechanism by which reverse movement of the device is prevented; in that the combing fingers or teeth can not dig down deeply into the roll as would be the case if the Winding were reversed.

As the fingers effecting the combing operation are resiliently pressed toward the rod or mandrel and may be made to engage the mandrel when no coil is present, no strand of hair is too thin to receive thel benefit of the stroking action. Moreover, the enlarged opening 52 of the Winder which centers the block or strand at the same time limits the thickness of strand which can be treated at; one time. For this reason no strand of hair and no coil formed by it can be too thick to also receive the benefit of the stroking co-mbing action of these fingers 51.

The shape of this member 45 is important and enlarged details (Figures 14 and 15) have been inserted in this application for the purpose of clearly showing the best, form known to me, as required by the statute and of illustrating the functions of the various parts.V

rlhe finger 49 presses upon the outer face of the rod 20, providing a grip or means of retention even upon the decreased area at the tapered end of the rod. When the finger 49 grips the rod as the wound hair endeavors to unwind within the area 47, the entire spiralled area 46 tightens upon the rod and prevents any back or reverse turning of the winder on the rod. y

The finger 48 is for a different purpose. It acts as a stop against which the hair abuts as it is wound, tending to force the Winder away from the hair and creating a spiral winding effect of the hair on the rod.

The series of small circumferentially eX- tending spring fingers 51 exert pressure upon the lock of hair as it is wound upon the forming rod 20, and their spring nature makes it possible to keep a constant tension upon the hair, regardless of the size of the lock, at all times throughout its advance- 1 ment upon the rod.

InY operation selected portions of hair are blocked oli on the patr-ons head and the wire loop 24 of the forming rod 2O is placed about one of the selected portions of hair.

The operator then draws the terminal 25 oute wardly from the rod 2O thereby causing the wire loop 24 to close upon the selected portion of hair. The concavities 34 and 35 at the tip end of the rod permit the hair to retain the round formation of the selected portion, and the wire loop 24 will then lie over the hair in such manner as to prevent breakage which might occur ii"- there were any abrupt edges present. 'Y

The wires are `free at all time to move outwardly from the free end of the body 2O due to the construction of the wire clamping device 26, and any movement of the wires in the opposite direction is immediately stopped by the action of the balls 32 within the clamping device 26. It will thus be seen that a lock of hair can be drawn in tightly against the tip 2l of the rod 2O and be retained in position by the action of the wire clamping de-` vice 26.

The hair is now twisted upon the rod 2O for a desired number of turns, and the remaining free end is caught under the hook finger of the winding attachment 45 and is drawn into the opening 52. rIhe operator now turns the winding attachment 45 upon the rod in the direction of the arrow as ind-icated in Figures 6 and 7 (it he be a righthanded winder, but it he is a left-handed Winder, the winding device is made just the opposite to that shown here, and is turned in the opposite direction). The small iingers 5l engage the hair as it is caught within the Winder and press tightly against the rod 20, andthe tightened windings of the hair itseli' bear against the finger 48 camming the winding device laterally ot the rod in a spiral movement. At all times throughout this spiral. winding the spring linger 49 is in cons tact with the rod 2O and pressure upon the knurled portion of the winding device within the area 46 will cause the lnger 49 to slightly release its tension and permit it to rotate about the rod 20, but as soon as the pressure i upon this portion of the Winder is released,

the spring linger 49 will contact tightly against the rod and prevent any tendency of the Winder to reverse. It will thus be seen that the hair can be Wound .upon the rod for any distance and thewinder may be Vstopped at any point and will retain the hair tightly wound.

A. tinal tightening of the hair upon the rod is made by the operator holding the handle 22 stationary and turning the body portion 2O in the same direction in which he has been 22 in one direction and is prevented from movin@ in the reverse direction vby the action of the spring 39. This final tightening may be but a fraction of a turn or as much as a half turn, but the loop 24 and tip 2l retain their iXed relation to the lock of hair whatever the amount of the turn in this final tightening operation may be.

This operation is` repeated about the head until the desired number of rods have been wound, at which time the rods are inserted in the heat-treating device which is old and well known in this art and forms no part of the present invention. l y

Upon the completion ot the'heat treatment the rods are removed from the heating machine, and the locks of hair are successively released from the rods. In order to accomplish this the operator inserts his fingers between the enlarged head 33 of the locking device 27 and the handle portion 22, forcing the enlarged portion 33 outwardly from Vthe handle against the action of the spring 29, thereby causing theballs 32 to release their hold upon the wires 23 and with the locking device in this. released position to slide the entire rod member outwardly along the wires, thereby enlarging' the loop 24 and permitting the release of the hair. With the hair thus released at the scalp end, its outer free end can he slipped from within the winding device 45 and the entire lock of hair, now in its waved condition, may be removed from the forming rod 20.

The winders 45 in my present invention are left upon the forming rods 20 during the heat treating, thereby eliminating the necessity of the additional wrapping, as is customary in the prior art, with lambs wool, and the final tying of the wool and hair with additional strings.

In View of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain part or all of the benetits of my invention without cop-ying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such in so far 'as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to seoureby Leti ters Patent is 1.

l. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod, a flexible loop, a tie within the rod connecting with the loop at one end, accessible at the other end and a clutch within the forming rod permitting the tie to be moved in one direction and holding it against movement in the opposite direction. Y

2. In a device for `pretorming hair to be curled, a forming rod, a iiexible loop, a tie within the rod connecting with the loop Yat one end, accessible at theother end, a clutch within the forming rod Vpermitting thetie to be moved in one .directionand preventing a it from movement in the opposite direction, and means for the release of the clutch which will permit the flexible loop and tie to be moved in a direction opposite the'free moving direction.

3. In `a device for p-reforming hair to be curled, a hollow forming rod, flexible means accessible at the back end of the rod for holding the base of a lock of hair to the rod at a point near the head end, and a Winder for placing the hair upon the rod.

4l. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod comprising a body portion, a tip end rotatably mounted within the body portion and partially exposed at its outer end, concaved portions within the tip end formed one in advance of the other and at an angle to the axis of the rod, a handle, and connections between the handle and the ti p5. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod, a winding device mounted thereon, a plurality of spring finger portions extending from the winding device to engage and hold the hair and a spirally formed portion having a spring finger at either end, one of which latter fingers lies in the path of the wound hair and is pressed by the hair to advance the Winder.

6. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod, a flexible loop, a tie within the rod, a winding device adapted to be movably mounted on the rod, an opening therein for attaching the hair Within the winding device, circumferentially disposed spring fingers forming part of the winding device, whereby the hair is held in close contact with the rod during the movement of the winding device.

7. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a hollow forming rod, a loop of flexible material having both strands passing entirely through the rod and extending as a loop at one end therefrom, and means at the opposite end of the rod for pulling the flexible material further within the rod to tighten the loop.

8. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a hollow forming rod, a loop of flexible material having both strands passing entirely through the rod and extending as a loop at one end therefrom, and means at the opposite end of the rod for pulling the flexible material further within the rod to tighten the loop including a clamp accessible at that end.

9. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod. clamping means for holding the hair near the head and with respect to the forming rod, a Winder for the hair s pirally surrounding the forming rod and spira-lied in a direction to loosen from the forming rod with the winding operation and to tighten upon the forming rod with reverse vstrain.

10. In a device for preforlning hair to be curled, a forming rod, a flexible loop and tie connection for attaching the rod to the hair, a winding device adapted to be movably mounted'on the rod and having a spiralled portion terminating in a spring finger adaptyed to press continuously upon the rod.

11. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod, a Hexible loop and tie connection for attaching the rod to the hair, a winding device adapted to be movably mounted on the rod and having a spring linger adapted to press continuously upon the rod and means for momentarily relieving I so the spring pressure of the finger.

12. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod and a winder thereon having vspiralled engagement with the forming rod adapted to tighten against the forming rod with movementin one direct-ion.

13. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod anda hollow Winder spirally formed and surrounding the forming rod and having at one end a laterally directed circumferential spring finger adapted to press resiliently toward the rod. f

14. In a device for preforming hair to b curled, a forming rod comprising a body portion, a tip having two openingsarranged substantially to forma V, a flexible loop passing through the body portion and outward through the V in the tip,"and a tie at the opposite end of the body 4portion uniting the free ends of the flexible loop. i

15. In a device for preforming hair tobe curled, a forming rod, a winding attachment of spring material spirally wound and'adapted to be movably mounted on the forming rod, a spring finger projecting from the body of the winding attachment and pressing 5i" against the rod, said finger pressure being released when manual pressure is .applied to the body portion of the winding. attachment.

16. In a device for preforming hair to be curl-ed, a forming rod, a taper at one end of the forming rod, a winding attachment of spring material encircling the forming rod, movable longitudinally of the forming rod and having a portion thereof in continuous spring contact with the forming rod, at any point throughout the `length of the forming rod, and means for relieving the spring pressure upon the forming rod. 1

17 In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod, a winding attachment of thin spring material adapted to be mounted thereon, one end of the winding attachment being spirally wound and having a spring finger at the end of the spiral winding, the opposite end being composed of a s body portion having a plurality of spring fingers arranged at right angles to the body portion.

18. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod, a winding attachment of thin spring material adapted to be mounted thereon, one end of the winding attachment beingY spirally Wound and having a spring finger at the end of the spiral Winding, the opposite 'end being composed of a `body portion and having a plurality of circumferentially extending spring fingers arranged at right angles to the body portion in one direction and having a hook iinger eX- tending from the body portion in a direction opposite the direction of the circumferentially extending spring fingers, and an enlarged opening at the base of the hook finger.

19. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod, a Winding attachment of thin spring material adapted to be mounted thereon, one end of the Winding attachment being spirally Wound and having a spring finger at the end of the spiral winding, the opposite end being composed of a plurality of circumferentially extending spring fingers arranged at right angles to the body portion in Vone direction, and having a hook finger extending from the body portion in the opposite direction, an enlarged opening at the base of the hook finger, and a second depressed finger adjoining the plurality of spring lingers.

20. Ina device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod, a Winding attachment of spring material having a spirally wound area contacting with the forming rod, and another area surrounding the forming rod in spaced relation thereto.

21. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod, a Winding attachment of spring material having a spirally wound karea contacting with the forming rod, and another area surrounding the forming rod in spaced relation thereto, and being composed of a plurality of circumferentially spaced spring fingers of varying lengths, disposed in one direction, and a linger projecting in an opposite direction and in a difierent space relation.

22. In a device for preforming hair to be curled, a forming rod, comprising an eXterior nearly cylindrical Winding surface, a terminal therefor, a tube connected With the terminal and passing lengthwise Within the body of the rod, a loop hair clamp accessible for hair engagement at the terminal and for tightening at the opposite end of the rod, controlled through the tube, a spring clutch between the tube and the body of the rod permitting rotation of the body of the rod with respect to the tube in one direction and checking rotary movement in the opposite e direction, and a handle surrounding the tube and engaging the body of the rod to effect rotary movement between them.

23. In a device for pre-forming hair to be curled, a forming rod and a Winder operating along the rod having an opening along one side at the end and spring combing fingers extending circumferentially and inwardly toward the rod in a direction reverse to the intended direction f of Winding movement whereby the combing fingers tend to comb the hair but ride over tangles in the hair.

24E. In a device for pre-forming hair to be curled, a forming rod, and a combing device comprising a casing open at one side and having independently resilient combing fingers extending circumferentially and inwardly from the casing in a direction reverse to the direction of Winding.

25. In a device for pre-forming hair to be curled, a forming rod, a spiral Winder surrounding the rod and determining the direction of rotation of the Winder and a combing device at the end of the Winder comprising a casing open at one side and having independently resilient combing tines extend-V ing spirally and inwardly from the casing in a direction reverse to the direction of Winding and a guide adjacent the open part of lthe casing centering the hair With respect to the combing tines.

JOSEPH N. LAGASS.

jso 

